Charm of the Day: 2009 Limited Edition Gingerbread House

I have saved the last posting of my Holiday charms for the best. This charm may be my absolute favorite of any charm I have. I think it is. It was definitely my HG before I got it, is one of the most detailed, whimsical, and fantastic charms I own.

This charm was released twice, two years apart. In 2007, a gold version was released, which, when it was no longer available in stores, quickly skyrocketed in price on the secondary market. I knew from the first second of seeing this charm that I had to have it, so this charm was heavily stalked on eBay by me. In fact, I lost out on probably close to 30 auctions for this charm, because the price kept going so high. But I continued to hunt for it.

In the fall of 2009, rumors started circulating that the charm was being re-released, but this time in silver. It didn't take very long before my charm buddy detective friends confirmed the rumor, and found pictures to prove it. Finally! I could get my HG charm!

The front of the charm is really sweet. A crown logo above the door, and a little heart on the door make for a very whimsical sight, almost as if Juicy is inviting us in:

The detail on the side of the charm is one of the things I love best about it. I love the multi colored crystals on the roof and windows, and the adorable little snow-covered chimney is one of my favorite things about this charm. A side view:

You didn't think I was done, did you? No way, not even close! This charm opens! And what is inside?

Juicy's mascot, the Yorkie, warming his paws by a roaring fire! I admit neither the fire, nor the Yorkie are that detailed (they are tiny), but it does make for a really cute little surprise when showing this charm off. A side view:

As you can imagine, the silver one, as well as the original gold, are both quite pricey now on the secondary market. The silver is a little more reasonably priced, and easier to find, but I would suggest doing it now if you're interested. I don't see any reason for Juicy to ever release this charm again.

Happy Holidays everyone! Have fun and be safe!

Charm of the Day: Snowman, Teddy Tree, and Present

I decided to post about the next three Holiday charms together, since they usually get worn together.

Up first (as promised) is a really awesome, blingy snowman charm. There are two versions of this charm, one in silver, one in gold. They were both released in 2008, and they are both Limited Edition charms. The gold one has the LE tag and the silver one does not. I have no idea why. Other than that, as far as I know they are identical.

I have the silver one. It was one of the first charms I ever bought, and I bought him in the Spring of 2009, when he was on clearance. To be honest, even though he is no longer available without resorting to the secondary market, he is still not that hard to find or too expensive. My theory on this is simply that the silver charms are not as popular as the gold ones. But I love him and his crystal scarf and top hat, and pearlescent bottom layer anyway! He is a very pretty charm, and one of my favorites to wear.

Next up is the teddy tree charm. I love the way this little guy is dressed, you can call it a tree, or you can call it an elf costume. Whatever you call it, it's super cute. And I also love the multi colored crystals that are all over his outfit.

The teddy tree is from this season, and, as of this posting, is still readily available at many retailers that sell charms.

The last charm featured in this posting is the 2009 Limited Edition Christmas Present. I really love this charm for several reasons. One, it is one of the easiest charms to wear on a necklace or bag, because of its shape. Two, I love the huge gold and crystal bow on it.

And third, the present opens! And what is inside? The cutest little saying:

Charm of the Day: Winter 2006 LE Charm Bracelet

Merry Christmas everyone! I apologize for dropping off posting once again. What can I say? The holidays are a crazy time! Between Halloween and New Years, there are seven birthdays in my immediate family and friends, not to mention Thanksgiving and Christmas, and this year I hosted a baby shower and went to a wedding, so there have been lots of celebrations, preparations, and migraines. LOL

Anyway, I figured I better get to posting my holiday charms, being that it's Christmas Eve and all. Wouldn't make much sense to post about them next month, now would it?

Without further ado, here is one of my very favorite pieces of Juicy Couture jewelry I own: The 2006 Limited Edition Winter Charm Bracelet:

Now, this bracelet was released approximately 2 and a half years before I began collecting charms. In fact, Juicy released a "Winter" themed charm bracelet in 2006, 2007, and 2008, but this was the only one that interested me. Needless to say, I had to resort to the secondary market to get it, where a bracelet that retailed for around $100 usually lists now for around $200. But I was patient, and was able to finally score this baby for....wait for it.....wait for it.....$13!!!

The bracelet has 9 charms in all, some are more on the plain side, some are really super cute and detailed. Here are my 4 favorite charms, in ascending order:

Up first is the crystal snowman charm. Complete with crystals for the bottom and middle layers, and an enamel head, it is the "blingiest" charm on the bracelet. And anyone who knows me knows I adore snowmen. So why is he only my 4th favorite charm? Because I have a snowman charm (to be featured in a bit) that is way more awesome.

Next up is an adorable little cup of hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows:

My 2nd favorite charm on the bracelet is the adorable set of mittens, for several reasons. One, it's pink. Two, I love the little chain that connects the mittens to the bracelet. And three, the little saying (Juicy HoHo) on the mittens, is just too cute!

And here is my absolute favorite charm on this bracelet, the reason I wanted this one over the 2007 and 2008 versions, the charm that absolutely sold me: The Red Nosed Reindeer charm. There is a full sized version of this charm that is on many collectors' HG charm list, and I have seen it go for several hundred dollars on eBay. I've never chased down the full sized one, because I am lucky enough to have the smaller version.



Charm of the Day: Bat

Happy Halloween everyone! I am here to feature the last of my Juicy Couture Halloween charms: the bat. Pictures of this charm had begun showing up on several websites long before it was actually released, and I was very excited about it, because of the whole vampire thing. I ordered it at least a month before it became available, and I am really glad I did, as this charm did not have a wide release, and I remember it only being available at selected retailers in the 2009 season.

This charm is one of the cutest charms I have, and I absolutely love wearing him. His face does somewhat resemble a mouse rather than a bat, but then again, bats and mice are in the same family.....anyway I think he's darling. The crystals around the wings are really beautiful, and very secure. I have never had a problem with any of them falling off, and I have had problems with some of my Juicy charms losing crystals in the past.

The back of the charm reads "Bite my couture" (just like this season's vampire lips):

Because of the fact that this charm is a retired Limited Edition from last year, once again, you are limited to the secondary market if trying to locate one. But be warned: due to the limited release of this little guy, even on the secondary market there don't seem to be many to be had, and the ones I have seen sell for well above retail.

Charm of the Day: Spider

Here is another one of my Halloween charms: the spider. When my charm buddies and myself learned that a spider charm was to be released for the 2009 season, there was a lot of speculation as to what it would look like. Would it be a black widow type spider? A tarantula? Would it be really scary? Or would Juicy try to glam it up? Our questions were answered soon enough, and sadly, those (like myself) that were hoping for a scary spider were a bit disappointed. Juicy definitely released a spider with bling.

Although, I admit, when I saw it in real life, I was no longer disappointed. This charm is really beautiful in its own way. I absolutely love the detailing on the web. That alone is worth giving this charm a chance. The pearlescent sheen and the crystal detailing are absolutely gorgeous, and this charm sits beautifully on a necklace, making it a very fun one to wear.

Now, this charm is no longer available, as it was a limited edition from last year. So you are pretty much stuck with the secondary market if interested. What I have found, however, is this one is still pretty reasonably priced on the secondary market, as the popularity of this charm does not compare with a lot of other LE charms.

Charm of the Day: Jack O Lantern

This little charm is really unique to me in several ways. First off, it was retired long before I started collecting charms. Secondly, it was badly damaged when I got it. "He" looked as if someone had dropped him squarely on his face. A bunch of the enamel paint was missing, and he only had one crystal eye. Good thing I enjoy a challenge. A little nail polish, a manicure gem, and he's complete:

Another really cool thing is I got this charm from one of my Juicy Charm buddies (in a round a bout way). She had it, sold it on ebay, and then that buyer sold it to me. I always thought that was neat, because she got to see pictures of him after he got his makeover.

My favorite thing about this charm is that he opens to show a super cute little candle inside, all lit up and ready for trick-or-treaters:

The bottom of the charm is printed with the mantra: Eat Candy. Little S would definitely agree with that, especially on Halloween!

Now for the bad news. As I said in the beginning, this charm has been retired for a while (it was a limited edition from Fall 2007), so you're completely limited to the secondary market if interested in owning him. And expect to pay upwards of $100 for him. Or if you're crafty, maybe you can score a fixer upper one for a great price!

Charm of the Day: Vampire Lips

Aww, bite me, whydontcha!! In honor of all things October (my favorite month), I will be presenting my Halloween charms over the next few weeks, beginning with my most recent aquisition, the vampire lips:

I really don't have a lot to say about this one. This charm is pretty much one of the best charms Juicy has ever put out, in my opinion. Then again, I love all things Halloween and vampire. This charm may not be for everyone. But it is sure to be a collectors' item once it is gone, like most of the Limited Edition charms are.

I took a few pictures, in different lighting. This one is in outdoor lighting, although not in direct sunlight:

This one is in indoor, flourescent lighting (my parents' kitchen):

And then I took a picture of the back, which reads "Bite my Couture", although it was really hard to convey. The angle was weird and the lighting was weird:

As of this posting, this charm is still readily available online and in many stores.